Tag Archives: design

19
May

How to Write and Reveal Story Secrets

Stories of discovery revolve around uncovering secrets. If you’re having trouble building secrets for your tales of adventure, follow this checklist:

  1. What is the secret?
  2. Why is this information a secret?
  3. Hook: How do the Players get pulled into the investigation?
  4. Who knows the secret and what are they willing to do to keep it?
  5. How are you teasing the secret?
  6. What do the Players think is going on?
  7. Reveal: How will they find out the truth and how is this dangerous?
  8. Reaction: How might the Players and others react to the revelation?
  9. How does the revelation change people and the rest of the story?
  10. Re-Write: What do you need to edit to make the reveal even better?

9
Oct

The Future is Folding Furniture

A game set in the future, either near or far, can be ergonomically enhanced with some functional furnishings that help set the scene. A good storyteller will show evidence of what’s changed, rather than just lecturing on imaginary historical events. We also assume that our futuristic descendants will be more creative and clever than we are in the modern age, and their spaceships and cyber-apartments should help reflect that intelligence with smart designs. Let’s find some inspirations to help us illustrate and elucidate our room descriptions.

 

11
Apr

Job Posting – Background Image Designer

Help Beautify Obsidian Portal

One of my favorite parts of the Reforge redesign is the ability to choose a nice high-resolution background image for your campaign. You can change the tone of your game from high fantasy to space opera to gritty urban streets just by selecting an image.

However, we need more images! Our current background image library is too small and we need help expanding it to add more images and give people a variety to choose from. To that end, we need someone with an eye for imagery and color and the ability to put together an image / color scheme combo that will make peoples’ campaigns look awesome.

9
May

Haste Podcast: Excellence In Innovation Award, Class Design Goals, Monstrous Character Flaws

[powerpress] | Episode 45 |

Announcements

Winner for best ‘How I Got Into RPG’s’ contest is Tallyrand with his story of transformation from the uncool jock into the super-cool uber gamer. Here it is:

I was a jock in high school, so needless to say I was teased mercilessly by the ‘cool’ kids in the gaming club. That is until the GM of the local group made a bet that he could get the coolest girl in school (Gary Gygax was her uncle) to ask me out. He taught me the slang, helped me pick out some nerdy tee-shirts, and ran me through drill after drill of dungeon mastering until finally he let me DM The Temple of Elemental Evil the week before prom. When her character was the only one to survive the 1st room she fell for me and asked me right there at the table. I realized then then I was cool all along, I just needed to believe in myself.

Also be sure to check out our contest with RPG Stack Exchange, you could win 75$ of whatever gaming goodies you want!

23
Mar

Stuck? Roll Some Dice – Spark Ideas, Kill Writers Block

Tools of the Trade

I’ve been using a lot of accessories for writing and adventure design lately, among my many tools, a few of my favorites have been the Fourthcore Alphabet and the Deck of Many Things from Madness at Gardmore Abbey. I’ve also been using some miscellaneous bits on things like cryptography, numerology, and puzzles from online sources. Using stuff like this makes for a really interesting mix of dungeon scenarios, plot hooks, fun challenges, and lots of other stuff.

31
Jan

Haste (Video) Podcast: Live From DDXP!

[Episode 32]

Announcements

None today other than yelling at you all to hit up the d20Monkey caption contest! I’m joined by Matt Dukes (@DireFlail) and Tracy (@Rolling20s) and we’re getting straight to business here!

Award Winning!

Gold ENnie for Best Website 09'-11'


Silver ENnie for Best Website, Best Podcast 2012-2013
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